Match-box holder.



No. 677,249. Patented .lune 25,1901.

J. M. MERRILL.

MATCH BOX HOLDER.

\pplication filed Dec. 1, 1900.)

(No lodel.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MOULTON MERRILL, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

MATCH-BOX HOLDER.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,249, dated June 25, 1901.

application filed December l, 1900. Serial No. 38,366. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MoULToN MER- BILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Box Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in match-box holders; and the objects and nature of my invention Will be obvious to those skilled in the art in View of the following description of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate as an example a construction Witliin the spirit and scope of my invention.

My invent-ion consists in certain novel features in construction and in arrangements or combinations of parts, as more fully and particularly pointed ont and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the example shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure l isa perspective View of the improved match-box holder with a box of matches therein, the slide of the match-box being partially pulled out. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the device sliown in Fig. l With its contained matchbox. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof. Fig. I is a perspective View of the match-boxv holder or case Without the match-box. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View through the case or holder, as shown in Fig. 4, Without the matchbox.

An object of my invention is to provide a case or holder for match-boxes which will preferably expose both igniting-surfaces of the match-box and which will provide a practically closed chamber or receptacle for the reception of the burned or used match stems or stubs and wherein the burned match-stems can be released from the holder by the removal of the match-box therefrom. In other Words, the holder is intended to removably receive an ordinary box of matches, such as the safety-match boxes usually found on the market, and permit projection of the boxslide from either end of the box and holder and permit access to both side igniting-surfaces of the match-box, and said holder has its inclosing Wall formed With a lateral enlargement or offset forming a chamber, one side of which is preferably closed by the match-box within the holder, said offset portion of the Wall of the holder having a slot therein of sufficient size to permit passage of a burned match or match-stem, an object of the invention being to provide such aholder which will constitute an exceedingly ornamental and useful articlefor instance, capable of being formed of precious metals, such as gold or silver, susceptible of chasing, embossing, or other ornamentation-and Which will form a practically inclosed receptacle for burned matches and can be conveniently handled Without dropping out or scattering its contained burned matches.

In the drawings, a is the body or case of an ordinary box for safety-matches open at both ends and having the igniting-surfaces ct at both side faces, and a2 is the match-containing slide of said box, which can be projected through either open end of the box-case. These boxes ofQsafety-matches are usually comparatively small in size for convenient pocket or house use from the box, as the matches can be only ignited by the ignitingsurface on the box or by some such peculiar surface. i

The holder consists of a shell formed to removably receive the box-casing and practically inclose the same except at the ends and igniting-surfaces. The holder comprises the bottom b, the vertical parallel side walls b b', extending up therefrom, the top edges or shoulders b2 Z22, and the offset or recessed Wall h6, forming an upwardly bulged or projected portion or dome above the match-box, having closed ends and a practically closed top with the longitudinal narrow Aslit b4. The holder forms a shell the parts of which can be formed of sheet-metal rigidly brazed or soldered together, so as to practically form the shell rigid and integral throughout, although my invention is not so limited nor is it limited to formation from stamped-out or otherwise formed blanks of metal or other material.

The box-receiving chamber of the holder is preferably located at the bottom portion thereof and conforms to the exterior dimensions and shape of an ordinary safety match- IOO box, and is preferably so formed that the match-box can be forced thereinto from either end of the holder and will retain its place therein by friction with the interior faces of the holder, so that the box-slide can be projected through either end of the holder without projecting or disturbing the match-box case.

The bottom floor or wall of the holder is dat and of approximately the same dimensions as the bottom of the match-box, and the same remark is true as tothe side walls h' with respect to the sides of the match-box. I preferably form elongated openings through both side walls b' to allow free access at all times to both igniting-surfaces of the match-box, as one side igniting-surface of a safetymatch box is usually not of sufficient durability to last until all the matches of a box are ignitedor exhausted. These igniting-surfaces wear off quite rapidly and both surfaces of a safetymatch box are usually worn off or rendered useless by the time all of the matches of the box are ignited thereon. I

The top ledges, shoulders, ,or edges b2 at the top of the box-receiving chamber bear on the top of the match-box and assistin holding the same down in place and against accidental movement from the holder. The ledges Zpreferably do not extend completely across the top of the match-box, but are separated, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3, to leave the top of the match-box exposed and forming the floor or bottom of the top match-stem chamber. This chamber is closed by the ends b3 h3 and the wall h, extending` up from the ledges h2 b2. The ends irland wall h can be of any desirable form or shape, and I do not limit myself to the rounded or domeshaped top shown nor to the particular location of the match-stem chamber above the match-box chamber, as the relative locations of the parts might be reversed or otherwise changed or rearranged. The match stem chamber is preferablyinclosed except for the narrow top slit for the insertion of the burned stems, so that the holder can be handled while removing and igniting the matches without dropping or shaking out the burned stems. The stemchamber can be of a capacity to about receive all of the burned stems from one box of matches, and when the matches in a box are exhausted the box is entirely removed from the holder, and the burned stems will thus be allowed to drop from the holder through the space between the top ledges before described.

Then a fresh box is placed in the holder, the burned-stem chamber will thus be empty gud ready to receive the stems from the new I do not wish to limit my invention in all instances to having the holder open or entirely open at both ends of the box-chamber or with openings in both sidesthereof nor in all cases to the opening between the top ledges.

chamber is avoided during handling of the .l

holder, and a longitudinal chamber for the reception of a match-box beside said burnedmatch chamber and having an open end and a side opening through the shell, substantially as described.

2. A match-box holder comprising the shell having the open-end box-receiving chamber and the burned-stem chamber, the said chambers opening into each other so that the match-box in said box-chamber closes the opening between said chambers, substantially as described.

3. A match-box holder having the matchbox chamber provided with open ends, and side openings, and the separated ledges, and the burned-stem chamber having the longitudinal slit, said separated ledges located between said chambers which open into each other between the ledges, so that the matchbox in said box-chamber forms a wall of vsaid burned-stem chamber, substantially as described.

IOO

4. A match-box holder, in combination with l a match-box therein having a slide, said holder having an open interior with openings at the ends of said box and a chamber having one side thereof closed by said box, said holder having an opening into said chamber, substantially as described.

5. In combination, an inclosing shell form- IOS ing a matc-h-box-receiving chamber and a burned-match chamber, said shell formed with a small burned-match-inlet opening into said last-named chamber, said burned-match chamber being otherwise normally closed by movable means, whereby said burned-match chamber canbe opened for the removal of the burned matches therein, substantially as described.

6. As an article of manufacture, a matchbox holder consisting of a shell having a 1ongitudinal open-end match-box chamber with openings at both sides, and adapted to receive a match-box, substantially as set forth, and a longitudinal burned-match chamber IIO IZO

above said box-chamber, said shell having a narrow longitudinal slit therethrough into said burned-match chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence cf two witnesses.

JOSEPH MOULTON MERRILL.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE D. MERRLL, HENRY P. BALDWIN. 

